Apple Cider Vinegar: My Favorite Perks

Apple cider vinegar has has many trusted applications and wide-ranging benefits. Here are a few of my favorite benefits:

Stabilize blood sugar levels

(You don’t have to be a diabetic to appreciate this one!)

Apple cider vinegar’s anti-glycemic effect is very well documented.

Why?

ACV prevents at least some of the starch from being digested and raising your blood sugar

A HUGE germ buster!

Feeling a sore throat coming on?

ACV is so acidic that it will literally kill bacteria overgrowing in your throat just by gargling it.  

Stuffy nose this cold season? Drink up! The potassium in ACV thins out our mucous and help drains our sinuses. The acidity will also reduce the bacterial overload in your nasal cavities when you drink it.  

Instead of reaching for the cold medicine, try some ACV first..

Lower cholesterol

Every wants to lower their cholesterol because of its implications on our longevity and quality of life.  How convenient that taking a tablespoon of ACV a day over a few months has been linked to lower cholesterol levels. It is believed that the acetic acid in the vinegar helps reduce cholesterol levels.

Got hiccups?

We all know hiccups can come at the worst times! They’re caused by too much air in our digestive tract. ACV is great for alleviating this problem. It’s most likely the strong acidic nature of ACV that counteracts our intestinal muscles tendency to spasm with extra air in our system. Try a tablespoon next time you have those pesky hiccups!

Great for digestion!

ACV is full of probiotics and other helpful bacteria that counteracts constipation and promotes a healthy gut!

Tummy ache?

A bit gassy from that lunch that didn’t agree with you?  ACV has pectin which is known to soothe intestinal aches and pains. After eating something that you notice your system isn’t reacting well to, mix one or two tablespoons of ACV with some water or juice.

What kind do I get???

The key is using unfiltered apple cider vinegar.  This is cloudy due to “the mother” which is a blob of all the good probiotics we mentioned before.

Whether drinking or gargling – remember it’s acidic – your teeth and your belly won’t be happy if you drink it straight! Dilute a couple of tablespoons in a big glass of water and sip away!

BRAGGS is the most widely available and respected company having been around since 1912.  THe 16 ounce bottle will cost you about $4.50

You can get filtered apple cider vinegar, like this from Heinz, but while it’s cheaper (about $2.35 for 32 ounces) you lose the advantage of the raw probiotic.

At first glance, it would seem that the larger size for cheaper makes more sense.  Again, this is a great example of how you benefit from understanding the WHY behind a health product!

Happy sipping!